


You Don't Have To Do It Alone

by allthehomoslash



Category: Borderlands (Video Games)
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Lilith and Roland have the emotional range of a teaspoon collectively, M/M, Minor Character Death, Spoilers through Wildlife Preservation mission and Mordecai side missions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-26
Updated: 2019-03-26
Packaged: 2019-12-18 07:07:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 10,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18244859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allthehomoslash/pseuds/allthehomoslash
Summary: The aftermath of the Wildlife Preservation mission bringing Axton and Mordecai closer. Pre-slash, feelsy. Slow burn. Also fuck Handsome Jack with a rakk hive.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> If you're reading this and haven't at least played the Wildlife Preservation story mission once, everything else after this point is on you. The plot bunny that grew in my head is just below. I had this already written for a long time, but ended up working full time and had no time to finish typing and editing the story. Recently I had to resign or I was gonna be fired for not hitting sales targets. Which has given me a lot more free time. Plus I met a hella cool new friend who, even though this isn't her fandom, was happy to beta the story for me, and will hopefully beta my future stories, as few and far in between as they are. And yeah. This is me giving Mordecai something to make everything hurt a little less. And me too. XD
> 
> Commenced 07/02/2017  
> Prompt: Jack’s explosion quote just before killing Bloodwing through to the end of the mission. Mordecai drinking himself stupid (Rakkaholics Anonymous), concerning Moxxi, Lilith, Roland, etc.   
> Axton tries to get Mordecai to open up, mucho angsto. Mordecai finally breaks down, kisses Axton or vice versa, go from there. As happy an ending as can be with Bloodwing dead. Vault Hunters retrieve Bloodwing’s remains? Or maybe even Axton alone? Uses a J3T Loader to get away? Or maybe he just goes back to get some of Bloodwing’s feathers before Hyperion disposes of Bloodwing’s remains.

Axton winced with every hit Bloodwing sustained. The fact that he, Salvador, Maya, and Zer0 were having to even wound her in the first place pissed Axton off immensely. Zer0 ducked behind Axton’s Sabre Turret and continued to weaken Bloodwing as Maya phaselocked the skags and Salvador picked them off while ‘gunzerking’. Axton was sure he’d never heard the word ‘pendejo’ so many times in such quick succession, ever. And he’d even used it profusely when he’d first learned it as a kid, too.

Bloodwing looked ragged but showed no signs of tiring. Mordecai was becoming steadily more frantic the more damage Bloodwing took. When Bloodwing finally faltered and Axton heard “I’m loading the tranq dart! _Tranquila_ , Blood – this won’t hurt. I _promise_.” Axton finally allowed himself to begin to relax. Bloodwing finally landed, and the four of them moved in. “Okay. She’s still alive. Get the microchip from her collar, and we can get her back to Sanctuary.” Mordecai commanded.

Then time slowed down (at least it did for Axton), and the Vault Hunters froze as Jack spoke.

“Ohhh, now I remember. EXPLOSIIIIIIVE!”

Axton barely heard the ominous beeping of the collar on Bloodwing as he paled and released his shielded turret to protect them all from the coming explosion.

He would never forget Mordecai’s anguished scream as the collar detonated.

Axton propped himself up with the turret, vaguely aware of the horrified noises coming from Maya and Salvador, as grisly chunks of Bloodwing’s head and neck rained down around them and Axton barely held his stomach. Zer0 simply stood there, limp and unreactive.

“ _That_ is why you don’t screw with me. You and your little friend Mordecai turn yourselves in, or that _dumbass_ bird is just the beginning.”

Maya gasped in horror, and Salvador cursed.

Rage welled within Axton, however his blood ran cold upon hearing when he heard “God _dammit_ Jack! _I’M GONNA KILL YOU! YOU HEAR ME?_ ” from Mordecai. The wounded, angry panting that followed his outburst seemed to match the thumping of Axton’s pulse. Mordecai was radiating grief, it was apparent in every sound he loosed.

Suddenly there was silence from Mordecai, as Roland jumped on the ECHO network. “I’m sorry about Bloodwing, soldier, but we’ve gotta keep moving. Get that software upgrade to Claptrap, and we’ll be able to get through the security field leading to Control Core Angel.”

“Fucking dammit, Roland, at least let us get our breath back after that, what the fuck,” Axton muttered, taking a moment to run his hands through his hair.

“C’mon Ax, we can’t linger,” Maya said softly as Salvador coaxed him along. “Si, hermano. Let’s loot what we can and go. We gotta move.” The edges of his perception blurred as he turned inward and relied on Maya, Salvador, and Zer0 – who, though stoic had been expressive, emoting his feelings across his faceplate.

He simply figured that he would be better served staying vigilant for the sake of his companions, ensuring they did not get ambushed.

Axton was jolted back to full awareness when he heard Jack’s grating tones again; “Oh where the hell is – Ahhh, I had a violin somewhere, I was gonna play it all sarcastically, goddammit. It was gonna be awesome. _Blake! Where’s the bloody violin?_ ”

Axton gave a sardonic chuckle. “No one gives a fuck about your fucking violin, you sick fucking asshole,” he snarled. Then he stopped in his tracks and said “You know what, fuck this bullshit,” and turned back.

Maya grabbed Axton by the arm. “Axton _what_ are you doing? We gotta go!”  
“ _Mordecai_ , Maya. His  _friend_ is dead and he has nothing left of her. I- I’ll grab a hunk of her feathers, clean and preserve them or something before giving them to him, I don’t know. But he deserves to have something left of her even if he can’t bury her. Go; get that clip back to Roland. I’ll meet you in Sanctuary.”  
She looked at him as though seeing something about him beyond the visible.

“You’re not going alone. Take either myself or Zer0 with you. Salvador is easily complimented by either of our skill sets so choose.”

Axton shrugged tiredly. She wasn’t gonna let him go alone and she could actually stop him, so he just said “What does it matter. You, I guess. You’re already here, so…” She nodded firmly, and told Zer0 and Salvador to head on without them.

Zer0’s faceplate showed a displeased emoji, and before Salvador could speak up about the affront of not being invited along, Zer0 spoke;

“No, no splitting up. All of us or none of us. We go for Bloodwing.”

Salvador grinned. “Si! Maybe we kill more Hyperion bots! We go now, before clean up!”

Axton panicked for a moment. “Clean up. Of course Jack will clean up. Alright, let’s move out!”

They traced their steps back, knowing they were far less likely to find opposing forces before finding Bloodwing this way.


	2. Chapter 2

The party found their way back to Bloodwing's remains quickly; however two lone Surveyors had already arrived on the scene.

A well placed shot to each of them detonated and dispatched them effortlessly.

Axton took a moment to steel himself before looking for anything he could clean up and take back for Mordecai. For a moment he thought it extremely morbid, but reminded himself it’s no different to keeping a lock of hair or something along those lines. Zer0 and Salvador took up sentry positions as he and Maya began looking Bloodwing over.

“Axton, maybe – and ugh, just suggesting this, but – maybe you should get your tomahawk out and cut away a patch of her skin, to leave the feathers intact until we get back?” Maya suggested.

“Hmm? Yeah, maybe. Only problem is I don’t have any spare storage.”

Maya scrabbled around in her pack and pulled a box out.

“Here. It’s one of my empty ammunition boxes. I’ve got plenty more, so you’re good.”

He stared at the box in Maya’s hand for a moment before accepting it. “Thanks. I guess we better look for some feathers then.” The two of them found a patch of feathers that were neat and unruffled.  
Axton's breath hitched upon noticing gunshot wounds to the left of the feathers, and taking a breath to steady himself commenced removing the patch. He put the patch in the box, and Maya closed it.

Axton looked over to Bloodwing’s talons, and then back to Maya. “Hey, uh, Maya? Do you think Mordecai would like her talons as well? I just… I don’t want to remove them and find he thinks we’ve dismembered Blood or something…”

Maya smiled sadly. “Nah, I think you’re right. We’ll get them too and then we’ll get going.”

They each took a foot to make quicker work of it, and before long all eight claws were in the box too. They stood and walked back to Salvador and Zer0.

Salvador slapped Axton on the back, and said “Time to go guys. We can’t take her with us.”

The four of them made their way back toward the fast travel point, and were just getting back to the cliffs overcropping the stream when Jack popped back up on the ECHOnet; “Woa-ho-ho-hoah – you didn’t think you were gonna get out of here _alive_ , did ya?”

All four Vault Hunters immediately stood at alertness. That infernal Hyperion announcement voice sounded over the speakers of the preserve.

“Intruders in range. Deploying reinforcements.”

“Mierda. We ready amigos? Salvador is ready to DUAL WIELD, BABY!”

Before anyone could fire a shot though, Mordecai popped up on the ECHO.

“Vault Hunters, _get_ _down_.”

Not willing to take their chances, and trusting Mordecai to know what he’s doing, they all dropped low, giving support to Mordecai who was decimating the deployment sent to kill them. Mordecai still hadn’t shut off his ECHO, and the four of them could hear him loud and clear. Come to think of it, they could hear him loud and clear without it, too.

“DIE, ASSHOLES!” Bang. “SCREW YOU!” Bang. “ _SCREW YOU!_ ” Bang, bang. “VETE AL DIABLO, YOU _SONS_ OF BITCHES! TAKE THAT!”

The animalistic scream that came from Mordecai’s throat didn’t invoke sadness in Axton like earlier, this time it invoked fear. Fear for how unhinged he sounded.

“Hijo de puta. He sounds bad, you guys.”

“So very much pain” Zer0 said, with a :| emoji on his faceplate. “I agree with Salvador. He’s going to break.”

“Let’s get back then; I’ll get the chip to Roland, you two can go rest and prepare, and Axton can go check on Mordecai.” Maya looked Axton in the eye, trying to express her reasoning without voicing it out loud. Axton didn’t need to be answering questions he very likely didn’t have the answers to himself. He nodded gratefully and they moved out, fast travelling back to Sanctuary.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why is rich text such a pain? And why is spacing so weird? Ugh

The four of them all headed back to HQ before splitting up, Axton taking the time to pull Maya aside before she went to see Roland, as Zer0 and Salvador headed to their lockers and bunks. Axton and Maya headed up the stairs and through the doorway to the left, sitting down in the corner that was still intact with Axton leaning against the crate and Maya sitting directly across from him.

He let his head thud against the crate gently. “Why’d you put me in charge of checking on Mordecai?”

“I think you know why, Axton. You don’t completely understand why, but you know already.”

Axton narrowed his eyes at her. “That tells me nothing, you know.”  
Maya tilted her head. “It tells you enough. You went back for a piece of Bloodwing for him, you physically reacted to his pain, you’re invested in what happens to him.” Axton looked at the wall behind Maya as if it held at least some of the answers.

Maya nudged his foot with hers. “Let it happen. It might surprise you. You both need it. Think about it.” She stood up, and brushed a bit of debris out of his hair. “Go scrub up, and check on Mordecai. Let me know how he’s doing. I’ll talk to you later.”

Axton heard her steps trail off and then her and Roland speaking faintly. He stared at the spot where Maya had sat and stewed on her words. He knew he was… compromised, yes, but Mordecai had just lost Bloodwing, he was not going to be up for anything, let alone figuring out feelings because Axton was coming on to him. Nah. He’d check on the guy but no more than that. He owed Mordecai that respect. He scrubbed his hands through his hair and went to shower and get started on things.

Axton walked to his bunk in his fatigue pants and grey tank, roughly drying his hair as he went. As he kitted up in his light gear, he listened to the awkwardness that was Roland and Lilith.

“Bloodwing. Damn.” she said.

“Yeah.”

“Remember – ah, remember that time Mordecai got shot –”

Axton shook his head and muttered into his towel “Someone else is gonna get shot if I have to listen to this cringeworthy attempt to be nostalgic and flirt at the same time, and it might be me if you emotionally constipated shits don’t fuck soon. Or, you know, actually _talk_. About the shit that you actually need to.”

“–in the shoulder, and he just – hid behind cover, and threw Bloodwing out to face the bandits on his own?” Lilith chuckled.

“Uh. Yeah.” was Roland’s eloquent reply

‘Dear god, just say more than three words and tell her you want her back already’ Axton thought exasperatedly.

“And Bloodwing just flew around and around in circles, not attacking anybody?” Lilith continued on. “And Mordecai was just screaming at him, ‘what are you doing you coward, get to killin’, blah blah blah,’ and finally Mordecai stood up, out of cove–”

Axton looked toward the doorway to see Mordecai walk past, bottle in hand, and grimaced. Sure, Mordecai was a drinker with a problem, but the fact that he had started so soon after getting back was bad. Veeeeeery bad. It had Axton worried. Axton walked to the doorway to witness what was happening, to see if maybe he’d be needed.

“And Bloodwing went screaming down into the fray and killed all those bandits in a half second. He wanted Mordecai to see him do it. Wanted to make him proud.” Roland blurted.

‘Ahh shit. He says more than three words and he’s still emotionally inept,’ Axton groused.

“And Mordecai was as happy as a skag in slag, kissin’ his beak, scratchin’ his neck–”

“Yeah, which would’ve been cute if Bloodwing wasn’t covered in entrails.”

It was here that Mordecai had clearly had enough, because he couldn’t stay quiet any longer. Axton didn’t blame him.

If anything it was a little tactless of Roland and Lilith, who had to know that Mordecai was not only around but hearing their whole discussion. That he hadn’t interrupted earlier said a lot about Mordecai and his tolerance levels and understanding of his friends.

“Ughhh, _shut up already!_ Jeez, how about actually talking your crap out instead of projecting it and deflecting with the _death of my best friend_? I can’t… I can’t be here right now. Later guys.”

Instead of going back downstairs and past Axton, however, the sniper went straight out past Lilith and Roland and off the balcony, down to the ground below. Axton ran lightly over to the balcony looking for Mordecai, only to see no trace of him. “Ah dammit. I really needed to talk to him too,” he said somewhat flippantly, trying to hide the reason for his concern.

He turned back to finish getting his stuff together and head after the guy, but was stopped by Roland.  
“I’m sorry about Bloodwing, soldier. But there’s still more to be done if we’re gonna reach Angel and get the Vault Key.”

Axton let some of his frustration bleed through when he replied; “There’s more to be done before you even get that far.

Mordecai needs you, he needs you both right now. Instead the two of you are too busy dancing around each other, and using your greatly distressed friend – whose coping mechanism is copious amounts of alcohol – as a means to do so by talking about his deceased companion, his companion who he _can’t even bury and mourn properly_ , as if he’s not even in the vicinity.

He heard every word, you know. You should have been directing that all at him.

Now excuse me. He won’t be found if he doesn’t want to be, but maybe if he gets drunk he might slip up enough that I _can_ find him.”

Roland and Lilith both looked suitably chastised by Axton who was internally rather shocked at the scolding he’d just given.

He went back to his bunk and put on the rest of his uniform, got his gear together (but not just the minimum now, not after Mordecai had run off to who knows where), grabbed Bloodwing’s remains, and went to Moxxi’s, to Sir Hammerlock, who he hoped might be able to direct him to someone who could do what he needed with the feathers and claws.

Axton was just passing the Quick Change station on his way to Hammerlock when Zer0 stopped him with a hand on the shoulder. “Would you like my help? I can have Blood preserved. Go find Mordecai.”

“Are you sure Zer0? I mean I don’t even know anyone to go to for preserving Bloodwing’s remains, man.”

Zer0’s faceplate displayed a smirk emoji. “Do not worry friend. I will get it done quickly. I have connections.”

Axton thought for a moment and then handed the box over. “I’ve included what I want done in the note on the top. I’ll pay you back whatever it costs.”

Zer0 broke his speaking pattern as he replied “No, you won’t. Let me take care of this, for you, for Mordecai. You go find him. I’ll make sure your instructions are followed.”

Axton clasped Zer0’s arm. “Thank you, Zer0.”

Zer0’s faceplate switched to a basic smiley. “Any time. Go find Mordecai.”

Axton waved his goodbye as headed for the fast travel station.

Axton stood at the fast travel station, looking at the map and realising he had no clue where Mordecai had gone. “I guess starting somewhere is progress. Maybe he went back to the Tundra? I know he’s still got his nest set up there.”

He travelled to Tundra Express, thinking that at least if he couldn’t find Mordecai he could always see if Tina knew where he was. When Axton got to the Tundra and found silence and a lack of dead bandits and Varkids, he knew that he wouldn’t be finding Mordecai there. So he headed for Tina’s in the hope of finding some trail, at least.


	4. Chapter 4

Axton faltered as he walked into Tina’s lair to see her strapping a bandit up to some convoluted (and clearly explosive) contraption. “Ti...na? What the hell are you doing?”

“Axton!” She skipped over to him. “Guuuurl where have you been?”

He looked at Tina disgruntledly. “I’ve told you before Tina –”

“Yeah yeah I know, you’re the manliest badass to have ever been manly, you’re a manly man who don’t need no emasculatin’. You’re still my girl. Deal with it boo.” He rolled his eyes. “Anyway, what’s happenin’?”

He grimaced at the prospect of having to tell her exactly why he was there, but she was back to… securing? the bandit. Axton was gonna go with securing. He had a feeling he already knew what would come next but decided to give her the benefit of the doubt; at least until the contraption (very large and menacing, mind you) started beeping ominously.

“Nevermind, later.”

She skipped around the contraption… let’s face it, it was a fucking bomb – and stopped in front of the bandit, who couldn’t seem to cotton on to the fact that struggling was an exercise in futility where Tina is involved. She leaned down to face him on his level, and stared at him.

“Okay. Here’s what’s gonna happen, Mister I’m-next-in-charge-after-Fleshstick-and-we’re-gonna-get-Tina.

You! Are going to answer some questions for me. You will answer truthfully.

If you don’t, or you make me angry, you will explode. If you cooperate, you will still explode. But you will _only_ explode, and that makes all the difference.”

Tina started skipping around the bomb again. “Question one! _Where_ is Princess Fluffybutt?” The bandit struggled again.

“Who the fuck is that? You’re fucking crazy! My boys are gonna rip you limb from limb!”

She stopped and thought for a second. “Nahhh, suckah, I’m good. You’re not though.”

The bandit screamed as the chair he was strapped to let off a charge strong and bright enough that Axton had to shield his eyes.

“We’ll come back to that question. Question two! Where are you and your bandit bros hiding?”

“Fuck you bitch! Flesh-Stick should’ve ended you with your parents!”

“Tut tut, such a lack of manners. Maybe this will help.”

Yet again the chair shocked the bandit, slightly longer this time. “You’re not doing so well, helping me will help you, you see.

“Question three! Where is Bloodwing? She’s been awful quiet lately.” She narrowed her eyes at the bandit. “What did you do to her?”

“Uh, Tina? I’ve got something to tell you.”

“Later, Axton, I’m almost done here.”

Axton took a breath. “Tina… Bloodwing’s dead. Jack killed her. Mordecai went AWOL. I came to ask you if you know where he could be.” She turned toward Axton slowly.

“WHAT.”

The bandit exploded.

“He, uh, kidnapped Bloodwing. Experimented on her with slag. We tried to capture her. He detonated her collar. She’s dead.”

Tina’s lower lip wobbled slightly. She didn’t seem to notice her lapse. “Hoooooh boy. Jack. Is gonna. Die,” she trailed off with a whisper.

“Damn straight he is,” Axton said softly “But we’re not there yet. I promise you we’ll get him. I’m worried about Mordecai though.”

Tina squinted at Axton for a moment.

“You like him. You wanna touch tha booty.”

Axton dragged his hand down his face. “Tina…”

“My girl Axton’s growing up.”

“Tina, _please_!”

Tina was startled into silence. Axton frowned a little. “He’s not doing so well, Tina, I gotta keep him from doing something stupid.”

She stared at him intensely. “I don’t know where my man Mordecai is. But if he don’t wanna be found he won’t be.” Axton sighed.

“I know. If he comes through here lemme know, yeah?” Tina nodded. Axton ruffled her hair. “Later, kiddo.”

Axton walked back to the fast travel station and went back to Sanctuary in the hope he might find Mordecai at Moxxi’s.


	5. Chapter 5

Axton walked into Moxxi’s bar to the smell of booze and gunpowder and took a look around, but didn’t see Mordecai.

“Hey, sugar. Need a drink?”

“Nah. Looking for Mordecai. Let me know if he comes through.”

“Will do.”

It was much the same way everywhere he checked and with everyone he talked to. And not just in Sanctuary either. He checked in with Ellie in The Dust, checked at the Holy Spirits Bar, checked everywhere he thought he had a chance of finding Mordecai. He was simply nowhere to be found.

 

Suddenly realising that the sun had gone down some time ago, Axton decided to head back to Sanctuary and get some sleep. He headed back to HQ, ambling through the doorway and upstairs. He noticed that Zer0 had returned as he removed his combat gear.

“Hey Zer0. How’d it go?”

“Very well. My acquaintance will have the task completed in a couple of days and completely to your specifications. Any luck in finding him?”

Axton shook his head. “Nope. Guess I’ve just gotta wait for him to pop up. I came back to catch some sleep.”

“We’re not going anywhere until we know he’s okay unless Jack magically opens the Vault so soon, so don’t worry about time for now.”

Axton jumped at Maya’s voice behind him and clutched at his chest. “Geez, warn a guy Maya. Thought Zer0 was the ninja here.”

She smirked. “You thought wrong. Go get some sleep. We’ll wake you if we hear or see anything.”

Axton nodded and headed to his bunk. He left his gear in a pile at the foot of his bunk alongside his boots when he kicked them off, threw his shirt and belt over the railings at the foot of his bunk, and dove on to the bunk and hugged his pillow. He was asleep before he even finished getting comfortable.

 

By morning Axton was starfished face up on the bunk, his left arm hanging over and almost brushing the floor. He was pulled from his deep sleep by someone shaking his shoulder.

“Axton,” Salvador whispered.

He got a grumble in reply and Axton rolling over to hug his pillow again, almost in an unconscious attempt to smother himself it seemed.

He shook him again.

“Axton.”

Axton dragged his head up out of the pillow, hair flat against the right side of his head, extreme spikes on the left, and mumbled “Mmph. Don’ wanna go to school today, wanna sleep,” and went back to smothering himself.

Salvador chuckled softly and shook his head.

“Axton, amigo, wake up. Mordecai posted a job.” Axton squirmed in his bunk and then froze.

He looked at Salvador, eyes half lidded still, hair still ridiculous, and said “If you’ve said this just to get me out of bed I swear to god I will empty your safe and switch everything with shitty Bandit weaponry. No, no, actually, I will trade all your loot for a midget Goliath and shove that in the safe instead, have fun getting it out.”

“Hah! Even if you did amigo, seeing you like this – smile!” he took a photo of Axton quickly “Is more than worth it when I use this picture to blackmail you into fixing it! Up, amigo! Go get your guy!”

Salvador’s laughter rumbled out of the room after him, and Axton moaned miserably and consciously tried to suffocate himself in his pillow.

He went and got himself cleaned up, and went into Roland’s ‘war room’ and took a seat. “Sal said Mordecai posted a job?”

Maya nodded. “Looks like he started drinking and ran out of booze. He’s asking someone to commandeer more for him. We took the job in your name so no one else snapped it up. Cakewalk stuff. But at least you’ll find him.”

Axton got up and Maya handed him the job ECHO recording.

“Thanks guys. I’ll go see what I can do.”

He started listening to the ECHO as he walked back to his bunk.

“Bloodwing’s dead, Jack’s nearly got the Vault open – I dunno about you, but I need a drink. Or, more like a lot of drinks. The Hodunks run Rakk ale out of The Dust – blast the kegs off one of their booze runners and get ‘em for me.”

Axton sighed and cinched his ammo belt. “Hey Salvador!” he yelled.

Salvador popped his head in the doorway, grinning cheekily. “Si, burro?”

“A ha. A ha ha ha. How about you kiss my ass,” he retorted, smirking and rolling his eyes. “I’m gonna need some help, you wanna drive a Technical for me?”

“Sure! I’ll get ready and we’ll go.”

 

Axton and Salvador walked into Ellie’s Garage. “Hey y’all! Whatcha doin’ out here?”

“Took a job for Mordecai. Wants us to procure some Rakk ale for him. Figured you’d know where we can find one of their booze runners,” Axton said as Salvador went to request their ride.

“Oooh, yay, the Hodunks are gonna hate that!” Ellie rubbed her hands together greedily. “I love inflicting misfortune on them. They should have a runner makin’ deliveries around here soon, if you keep ridin’ you should see it soon enough!”

Axton jumped in the back of the technical Salvador requested. “Thanks, Ellie. Let us know when you’re ready to fuck with the Hodunks again.”

Ellie waved them off. “Y’all save us from Jack first!”

Axton waved back before Salvador took the jump out the front of her junkyard.

“Ohhhhh shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit!”

*WHAM*

“Salvador I’m gonna kill you! What the hell man! You gonna pay my New-U fees? I didn’t think so!”

Salvador laughed manically. “You’re holding on to the tray like it’s rare loot mi amigo! You’re _fine_.”

Axton sulked. “Next time I find you asleep I’m putting you somewhere you can’t climb down from, I swear.”

Salvador laughed. “That’s okay, because here’s our runner!”

Salvador catapulted an explosive barrel at the front end of the booze runner, and managed to hit the runner cleanly enough that he stopped it in its tracks. “Direct hit, suck it pendejos!” He parked the Technical back to back with the runner so Axton could grab the barrels and transfer them with more speed and ease. Axton jumped out and started loading.

Moxxi suddenly came through on the ECHO network.

“Mordecai plans on sucking down more Rakk ale, huh? Did the same thing after he and I split up, poor kid. Bring me the booze instead and I’ll give you my prize revolver, Rubi.” Moxxi must have broadcast publicly because Mordecai replied.

“Woahwoahwoah – Moxxi’s giving you RUBI if you give her my booze?” he slurred. “The friggin’ – That bimbo lost Rubi years ago and I _found it_ ! She wouldn’t even have it if it weren’t for me! No no no. Bring _ME_ the booze, and I’ll give you one of my old sniper rifles.”

Axton finished loading the barrels into the technical and jumped in the tray alongside them. Mordecai started up again as Salvador drove toward Three Horns.

“Moxxi ever tell you who she dumped me for? Huh? Jack! I win the Underdome, I find Rubi, and bam – she drops me for the biggest fascist Pandora has ever seen!”

“Hey until he set all those people on fire, Jack seemed like a pretty nice guy!” Moxxi retorted.

“It’s not my fault Mordecai was more interested in plucking his bird’s feather than plucking my… dammit, I’m so angry I can’t even come up with a sexy innuendo!”

Axton sighed. “I’m gonna regret this,” he muttered. “Salvador, don’t drive too crazy for a little while.”

“Aww, you ruin my fun amigo,” Salvador replied.

“Shh, you crazy asshole.”

Axton jumped on the network. “I’ve got the booze, Mordecai.”

Mordecai replied. “You got ‘em all – now bring ‘em to me and I’ll give you my rifle.”

Before Axton could reply, Moxxi interjected. “No, no – bring the booze to ME instead of that alcoholic bird-lover, and I’ll give you Rubi.”

Axton slammed his hand down on the barrel closest to him. “Now that is _enough_ . Moxxi, you’re not getting the booze. I’m not interested in the rifle or Rubi. Mordecai, where are you, man? I’ve been worried about you. I’ll bring a _reasonable_ amount of the booze. I’ll even get drunk with you if that’s what you need. Moxxi, if I hear you talk shit about Bloodwing or Mordecai again you might find yourself down an errand boy.”

“–Or two,” Salvador added for reinforcement.

Axton nodded gratefully at his friend.

“Mordecai, I’m switching to a private ECHO channel so you can tell me where you’re at. Moxxi, go.” Axton cut the ECHO and switched channels.

“Mordecai, tell me where you are please,” Axton said, far softer this time, letting his concern bleed through.

“I-I’m *sigh* I’m in the Tundra right now. Down at the farmhouse.”

‘Goddammit, I didn’t think to check there,’ Axton thought.

“Okay, I’m coming. Just me. Is that okay?”

“Yeah,” Mordecai breathed. “Yeah, that’s fine. I’m, uh, gonna go now.”

“Okay.”

Mordecai cut the connection, and Salvador looked at Axton sadly. “You know me. I’m loco. He’s making _me_ sad. You gotta try to fix this, Axton. How much booze you gonna take?”

“None of this Rakk piss. I’ll buy a few bottles of some good stuff from the Zafords. You make sure Moxxi don’t get any of this stuff, yeah?”

“Si, Axton.”

“Good man. Drop me off at Ellie’s, I’ll see you at Sanctuary.”

“Okay Axton. You got it.”

 

Salvador dropped Axton off and left laughing him as he sped off yelling “GUESS WHO’S GETTING DRUNK TONIGHT, PENDEJOS!” and whooping into the distance.

Ellie stopped Axton on his way to the fast travel station. “Hey y’all! Listen, um. I’m sorry about Moxxi, what she said. It was kinda a dick move.”

“It wasn’t you, it was her, it’s been dealt with.”

She nodded. “I like Mordecai. Take care of him now, y’hear?”

“Will do. Later, Ellie.”


	6. Chapter 6

Axton stepped away from the fast travel station at the farmhouse in Tundra Express. 

“Mordecai?” He looked around quickly, before hearing a shot outside. Putting his gear down near a dishevelled nest of sleeping bags and blankets (some of which he noticed belonged to himself, Maya, and Roland, funnily enough) where Axton was sure a desk used to sit (looking around he noticed the desk was now next to the Marcus’ Weapons vending machine in the corner there. 

He climbed the ladder out to see Mordecai drinking and taking potshots at creatures from on top of the other building as the sun slowly set.

Axton climbed his way up the side of the abandoned barn to where Mordecai was sitting. 

 

“Hey,” Axton said.

“Hey,” Mordecai replied.

“You had me worried, Mordecai.”

“Yeah.”

“I wanted to help you, man.”

“Hhmph. Help. Dunno if you can help. I feel broken, amigo.” Mordecai spotted a Varkid and took a shot at it, hitting it squarely in the tail and causing it to explode.

“You’re not broken. I promise.”

“Hmm. Yeah, I guess.”

He chugged from the bottle by his side, then handed it to Axton, who took a swig. “Ugh, so glad I brought better quality stuff with me.”

Mordecai side eyed him before saying “Whaddya mean? Where’s my Rakk ale?” as he sniped another Varkid.

“If you want some when we go back to Sanctuary, it’ll be there. But I didn’t do it for the rifle, and I don’t want you drinking  _ that _ much. I brought some better stuff with me if you wanna have some drinks still.” Mordecai drained the bottle, and then threw it before jumping down off the roof.

“Fuck!” Axton panicked and leaned over the roof to see him. “Mordecai, are you okay?” 

He groaned, and began to get up slowly. “Aw man. Gotta learn to stick the landing.” He stood with a slight stumble. “I’m *burp* good.” 

Axton made his way down the side of the building and over to Mordecai. “C’mon, back to the farmhouse with you,” he said, wrapping an arm around Mordecai.

“Yeah. I guess.”

“You too drunk to get down the ladder?”

“Nah *hic* I’m good.”

“I’ll go first anyway so at least you’ve got something to cushion your fall if you slip.”

“Heh, sure.” Thankfully Mordecai didn’t slip at all, and Axton managed to get him safely situated on a chair. Mordecai watched Axton rustle through his pack and bring out a couple of bottles of water and some snacks.

“You eaten today Mordecai?” He shook his head. “Here then.” Axton passed him a bottle of water and some food and took a seat himself.

“You gotta take care of yourself Mordecai. We’re worried about you,” he said softly. Mordecai scoffed at the statement and stared coolly at the floor.

“So worried that my friends used me as a buffer and talked about me like I wasn’t there. Yeah, sooo worried.” Axton sighed, and stood from his chair to crouch in front of Mordecai, putting him in his field of view.

“You said it best when you called them emotionally impaired that one time.”

“Was that when I said a drunk skag could express emotion better?” Mordecai chuckled.

“Yeah.” Axton stared at Mordecai intensely. 

 

“They really are worried you know. We know what Bloodwing was and still is to you–” 

Mordecai shook his head “Don’t, Axton–”

“We don’t think to assume to know what you’re going through–”

“Axton,  _ stop _ –”

“–but we love you and want to help you through–”

“DAMMIT ENOUGH!” He pushed Axton who sprawled on his ass. He looked up at Mordecai, slightly shocked as Mordecai began pacing and yelling, visibly tearing up. 

“There isn’t any helping me through this! Bloodwing’s fucking  _ gone _ , goddammit, and I don’t know what to do. I  _ hatched _ her, amigo. I nurtured her, I helped her grow into the amazing, majestic predator she was.”

He stopped pacing and looked brokenly down at Axton. “I-I’ll shoot at stuff and call her to command and she doesn’t come, man, she’s never going to, ever  _ again _ ,” he choked out. He dropped to the ground in a heap, sobbing.

“She’s not coming back. I miss her so much.” Axton scrambled over from where he’d landed and wrapped his arms around Mordecai, who slumped against him, crying in earnest. “It’s not fair, man, it’s fucking bullshit. Blood was my best friend. I’m fucking lost man,” he said intermittently between sobs. Axton tightened his hold slightly, hoping it would convey the comfort he was trying to give Mordecai.

 

Eventually the crying subsided, and Axton let go of Mordecai and retrieved their water and snacks from where they’d ended up (probably when Mordecai pushed him), to avoid putting Mordecai through the awkwardness of trying to disengage from the hug his breakdown become.

“C’mon. You’re drained, Mordecai. If you need me to I’ll stay awake while you get some sleep.” Axton helped him to his feet.

“Nah. I think I’m drunk enough to sleep through. Don’t know if you’ve got a sleeping bag in your pack, but you’re welcome to just throw it here with the rest. It gets cold down here.”

“Sure, okay.” 

Between the two of them they arranged the nest to about the size of a double bed, and settled in. It was kinda like camping on a mission, Axton thought. He turned toward Mordecai to say goodnight but Mordecai must’ve fallen asleep pretty much as soon as he hit the pillow. He whispered “‘Night, Mordecai,” anyway, and went to sleep himself.


	7. Chapter 7

Axton woke up before Mordecai, who clearly needed his sleep, and grabbed his ECHO communicator and climbed the ladder so as not to wake Mordecai. He called Maya to let her know what was happening.

“Axton! Did you find him? Is he okay?”

“He’s safe. Drinking to fall asleep and not eating enough, but he’s okay. At least as okay as you can be when your heart hurts.”

“Damn.”

“Yeah. Who’s around?”

“Uh, Roland, Salvador, Zer0 – oh! Zer0 told me to tell you that the stuff you wanted done for Bloodwing is complete, he’s just waiting for you to get back.”

“Cool, that’s great. Thank him for me.”

“He says you’re still not paying him back.”

Axton laughed. “We’ll see about that.”

“Yeah. Go take care of your guy.”

“I really wish you’d all stop with that.”

“You’re breaking up, I didn’t hear you, bye,” Maya laughed as she hung up. 

“Well damn.” 

 

He climbed back down to the basement to find Mordecai looking at him warily from his side of the bed nest. “What?” he queried.

“You don’t know that sound bounces down here pretty well, do you,” Mordecai answered. Axton slumped a little.

“You heard all of that didn’t you.”

“Yep. You gonna explain?” Axton sat on his own side.

“What do you wanna know?”

“Bloodwing?”

“We went back for her, harvested some feathers and some claws so you’d have something to remember her by. That’s why we took so long to come out of the reserve.”

“What does Zer0 have to do with that?”

“I wanted to have some things done with them that you’d appreciate. He helped. I intend to show you when we get back.”

“When?”

“Well, yeah. Because as shitty as Lilith and Roland make you feel you don’t hate them, and you wanna at least be part of the reason for Jack’s downfall. So there’s no question that you’ll head back to Sanctuary.” 

Mordecai looked at him intently. “Yeah. Yeah, I guess you’re right. But I ain’t ready to head back yet.”

“I figured. What did you wanna do today?”

“I don’t know. Probably just shoot some more Varkids. And drink all your booze, I ain’t gonna lie.”

“Can’t drink it all if I drink it with you.”

“Touché, amigo.” Mordecai stood up and stretched. “So. I don’t know about you but I need food. Proper food.”

“Same. Want me to go get some pizza?”

“Sure, if you don’t mind.”

Axton jumped up and walked over to the fast travel station. “Anything else you need?”

“Nah. I’m gonna go shoot some. See you when you get back.”

 

Axton was just heading back to the fast travel station in Sanctuary with their pizzas when Tina came through on the ECHOnet. “Sup homie.”

“Tina? Is something up?”

“Uhh… maybe? There miiiiight have been some bandits being – y’know, bandits, and Mordecai miiiiight have–”

“Tina, wait a minute. Start from the start. Where are you and how is Mordecai there.”

“Well, I could hear Mordecai shooting Varkids as is his routine lately, and I invited him over. ‘Cept when he got here there was a teensy bandit problem. So he took care of them and now he’s gone after the rest of them at the Buzzard Academy to nip it in the bud. But one of the alarms went off and he’s not replying on the ECHOnet.”

“I’ll be right there.”

“Okay. Lemme know if you need assistance of the… explosive variety. I gots enough badonkadonk to go ‘round.”

“I will.”

Axton fast travelled straight to the farmhouse and geared up, and followed the outer boundary of the Tundra until he could see the Academy. 


	8. Chapter 8

He had three options. 

He could go in through the front gate, go in through the gap in the fence at the boundary, or go around the Academy and look on from up high before deciding on a course of action.

Deciding that perspective from a vantage point could be important, he decided to skirt around the front, heading up the rocky outcrop on the far side. 

He looked out on the Academy and the trail of bodies that was evidently Mordecai’s doing. He could see that the bodies started just inside the entrance, meaning Mordecai just went straight through the front instead of going up high to take care of it as he normally would. Axton frowned but pushed his worry aside and followed the trail of bodies to a bloody end down near the back entry point.

His heart gave a slight jolt when he realised that there was a puddle of blood there not attributable to the bodies there that could be Mordecai’s, but he calmed himself and continued looking. 

He wasn’t going to find anything else from up here it seemed, so Axton made his way down toward the end of the trail, keeping an eye out for any stray bandits as he went.

 

As he approached the bloodied end of the trail it was apparent that there were footsteps away from the scene that were bloody as well. It was also apparent that they were Mordecai’s because of the distinctive tread. Axton followed the footsteps, making sure he wasn’t quiet. If Mordecai heard him coming he’d be less likely to shoot at him.

He followed the trail between the buildings in the westernmost corner of the compound and to the left, past where the train track diverged from the cliff face. He picked up the pace when he saw the bloodied handprints smeared across the rock face and walked around it to find Mordecai propped up, seemingly unconscious, on a loot chest.

Axton ran over and knelt to Mordecai’s left, taking in his injuries. His breathing was laboured – not a surprise, but whether from the injuries Axton could see or something internal, Axton couldn’t be sure. There was clearly a gunshot wound near his just under his right clavicle, what looked to be another gunshot wound mid abdomen on his left, and bruising and gashes (some small, some not so much) from his shoulder to his knee on his left side. And so much blood.

Axton gently wrapped his hand around Mordecai’s left shoulder, to shift him so that he wasn’t so slumped over when Mordecai startled awake.

“Easy, it’s me, Axton. I got you.”

As consciousness slowly came back to Mordecai he leaned into Axton’s hold, letting Axton hold him upright. “Hurts,” he mumbled.

“I know it does. I’m gonna help, but it’s gonna get a bit worse for a while. I’m gonna patch you up, and get you back to the farmhouse, okay?” 

Axton waited for the barely noticeable nod from Mordecai before continuing. “Good. Okay, you’re lucky that I’ve got combat medic training, ‘cause you kinda need it right now,” Axton quipped. 

He earned a weak chuckle from Mordecai as he pulled the items he needed from his pack. 

“I’m not gonna bother with anything that isn’t bleeding right now. You’ve lost too much blood and I need to get you back to Sanctuary. I gotta cut up your shirt, I need to see what I’m patching, Mordecai.”

“Just do it. You’re rambling and it’s tiring me out.”

Axton grimaced. “Sorry.” He pulled out his switchblade and cut the material away efficiently. He tore some strips from the areas not saturated in blood and took them and his canteen and rinsed some of the blood away.

“Hey–ahh,  _ fuck _ ,” Mordecai groaned as Axton padded and wrapped the gunshot wound at his shoulder.

“Yeah, sorry.”

“Nnngh, gotta be done. Tina tell you I was here?”

“Yeah. Though I wasn’t prepared to be following your bloody trail to find you half dead.”

“To be fair –  _ shit _ – I wasn’t expecting to be half dead. One of them… Shot my grenade in midair, it shattered my shield and the blast threw me down. By the time my shield came back up and I was behind cover they’d got their shots in.”

Something didn’t sit right with Axton about the story but he wasn’t going to push for more when Mordecai was still bleeding out.

Axton handed Mordecai the canteen and one of the cleaner strips of shirt. “Drink, and then fold that and bite down. I need to wrap your side, and it’s gonna hurt.” 

Axton put pressure on the gauze pad and Mordecai keened in distress as Axton wrapped the bandage around his midsection. Mordecai slumped against Axton as he secured the bandage; a sweaty sheen on his tired features.   
“Think I’m gonna check out for a little while, amigo,” Mordecai mumbled. And then suddenly he was dead weight in Axton’s arms.

“Shit. Okay. Fuck.” Axton set Mordecai down against the loot chest in some semblance of an upright position in order to finish administering what first aid he could. 

He rinsed his hands with the last of his canteen’s water, somehow managed to strap their packs together and to his back, and gently as he could picked up Mordecai and cradled him against his chest. He was fleetingly glad of Mordecai’s smaller, wiry frame making it easier to carry him.

 

Walking as quickly as he could manage without jolting his passenger, Axton made his way back to the farmhouse, his arms cramping and trembling with the effort of carrying a fully grown man for an extended time. 

Before any Varkids could get through he put Mordecai down as gently as he could by the trapdoor and slid down the ladder to set the electrical barrier. He grabbed his sleeping bag from the nest and brought it back up the ladder with him and sat down, resting Mordecai’s head against his chest and cradling Mordecai’s body with his own. Then he tucked the sleeping bag firmly around Mordecai and sent out a distress ECHO;

“Roland, it’s Axton. I’ve got Mordecai, but he’s injured, and he needs help. I need help to get him back to Sanctuary.”

He immediately received a reply from Raider HQ. “It’s Lilith. Roland’s out on a mission. Where are you?”

“Tundra Express, the farmhouse. Hurry, yeah? He’s lost a lot of blood. He’s been unconscious for a while now.”

“I’ll be right there.” she said and then shut the ECHO off without warning.

Axton pulled back the sleeping bag to find blood seeping through the field dressings he’d put on the unconscious sniper. 

He sighed shakily and curled in towards him and swept Mordecai’s dreads back from his ashen face. He pressed his lips to Mordecai’s temple and whispered “Just hang in there, okay? We’ll have you back at HQ in no time.” 

He brushed a hand along Mordecai’s cheek as Lilith climbed up the ladder. 

Her head popped up and the first thing Axton said was “I’m sorry, I couldn’t get him to the other fast travel station.”

She pulled herself up and out the trapdoor and knelt beside them, a hand on each man’s cheek. “You did good, Axton. It’s okay. Let’s get him home. Go down the ladder, I’ll lower him down for you to catch. We’ll fast travel back to Sanctuary and get him help.”

Axton scrambled down the ladder and Mordecai soon followed, still wrapped up in the sleeping bag, as Lilith phased him down through the trapdoor.

Axton cradled him against his chest as Lilith landed and watched attentively. 

“If you approached him he’d be receptive, Axton. He hasn’t asked you because he didn’t know if you would be.”

He froze for a moment, returning her stare blankly. Lilith shook her head and walked past him. 

“We’ll send Salvador and Maya to grab all this stuff, get over here so I can phaselock Mordecai to keep him immobile while we fast travel.” 

She did so and they fast travelled back to Sanctuary.

She released the phaselock on Mordecai and gently pushed Axton in the direction of HQ. “Get him settled on one of the beds, I’m going to get Zed,” she instructed him, and before he could even react she was phasewalking away. 

 

He entered HQ at a jog, ready to carry Mordecai up the stairs when Roland stopped him from behind. “I came as soon as I could.”

Axton turned around and Roland carefully took Mordecai from his arms with a gentle “Stand down, soldier. You can rest now.”

Axton’s arms dropped as if attached to lead weights. He wobbled up the stairs behind Roland, and vaguely realised that there was another bed in the vicinity. As if knowing what he was thinking Roland said “Lilith had Salvador move the single bed from downstairs up here so we could treat him without concussing ourselves on the top bunk of one of the other beds.”

Axton slumped on the couch and deflated a little, unaware even that he was scrubbing his hands on the thighs of his fatigues, trying to remove the blood from them. Maya ran up the stairs and into the room and took a moment to watch Axton and then left the room. 

She came back with a steaming hot cup of god knew what because he wasn’t paying attention and a washcloth.

She set the cup down and took Axton’s hands and cleaned them. His hands trembled minutely in hers, and she held them firmly for a moment, then held the warm cup up for him and sat next to him when he held it without spilling anything. 

Lilith walked in with Zed following at her heels and Maya could see some of the tension in Axton’s body visibly dissipate. “Axton? It’s okay to be worried,” Maya said to him softly. “Say something, big guy.”

“He-” Axton gulped. “He lost so much blood. There was  _ so much _ . He was unconscious when I got there. I actually thought he might’ve been dead. And then I checked, and he wasn’t. And while I was relieved I was suddenly so much more terrified. I honestly don’t know how I managed to get him back here in time.”

“Oh, Axton.”

“I’m not letting it pass me by if he recovers. I’ll tell him.”

“Good. For both of you.”

They sat there, watching Zed stitch Mordecai back together as Axton slowly drank the cup of what turned out to be some really good hot chocolate. Axton melted back into the couch when Zed finished up and declared that Mordecai should recover completely. Maya set the cup down on the table beside the couch and fetched a chair for Axton to sit in and be closer to Mordecai.

As she draped a blanket over him and coaxed him into the chair, Salvador brought up the gear they’d left behind and the pizzas (which Salvador had clearly made a dent in). “Sorry amigo, I was hungry. I saved you some though.”

Axton chuckled. “Nah, go nuts Sal. ‘M not hungry right now.” 

Salvador nodded and started chewing on another piece.

“Here’s everything you guys left at the farmhouse” he said around the piece of pizza, putting the box down on Axton’s bunk. 

“Thanks.”

Salvador walked over and rested a hand on Axton’s shoulder. “Everything will be okay, amigo. Get some rest. Thanks for the pizza.”

“You’re welcome” Axton laughed as Salvador headed downstairs.

 

Axton jerked awake suddenly to groans from the bed beside him. He looked around blearily as he realised all the lights were off and it was dark.

“Mordecai, it’s me. Just stay still and keep your eyes closed for a minute, let me turn a light on.”

Axton stood up and stretched his sore muscles, then turned on the light over the doorway. 

“Okay, open your eyes slowly.”

Axton walked over and sat gingerly by Mordecai’s side on the bed, trying not to jostle all the pillows keeping Mordecai in a near upright position. 

“How’re you feeling?”

“Sore” Mordecai rasped. “Throat’s dry.”

“Hold on, let me find you some water.”

He turned around to head downstairs but stopped short when he saw a jug of water and a pair of cups had been left on the table beside the couch. “Never mind, someone left some for us.” He poured a cup for Mordecai then sat back down beside him and held the cup up for him until it was finished. “Better?” Mordecai nodded. “Anything sorer than it should be? Zed left some pills for you if it gets to be too much.”

“Nah. ‘M jus’ tired.”

“Okay then. Get some rest.” Axton returned the cup to the table, and turned back to find Mordecai already sound asleep.

Turning the light off on the way, he went back to the chair and got as comfortable as he could, drifting into sleep while watching the slight rise and fall of Mordecai’s chest.


	9. Chapter 9

When Axton woke up next it was to the smell of coffee and to the sight of Mordecai clumsily eating his breakfast one handed. “Hey,” he moaned, stretching the kinks out of his back. “Having a little trouble there?”

“Kinda,” Mordecai replied sullenly.

Axton wheeled the chair right up to the side of the bed and took the plate from Mordecai to help him feed himself. “Whoever made breakfast today didn’t think about the fact that you wouldn’t be able to cut your food up.” Mordecai laughed deprecatingly.

“It wouldn’t be so much of an issue if I could hold the plate.”

“Eh, don’t worry, I’ve got it. You’re not going hungry this morning.”

Mordecai sighed. 

“Alright, time to cut the small talk. I, uh… want to thank you for coming after me. I didn’t think anyone was gonna be coming. Not before it was too late, anyway. Almost thought I might be seeing Blood’ again.”

Axton’s face fell, his countenance grim. “You sound disappointed. Mordecai, please, tell me. I can’t help you if you don’t tell me.”

Mordecai didn’t answer immediately, he seemed to be gathering himself in order to find the words. 

“I’m not disappointed, not in the way you’re thinking. I’m disappointed in myself for ending up in that situation.” 

He scrubbed at his face with his uninjured left hand. “Fuck.  _ Mierda _ . You do my head in, Axton. Don’t ask me why, but I can’t hide  _ shit _ from you.” He took a deep breath. 

 

“The grenade story was kinda bullshit. They shattered my shield, yeah, but that was because I forgot about Bloodwing. I tried to call her to battle and I fucking choked when I remembered she wasn’t coming back. I froze up long enough for the fuckers to blast out my shield and then before I could take cover I got charged by that fucking nomad brute, Taskmaster or whatever the fuckers are called.” 

“By the time I fought him off and got vertical again my shield was still down and they managed to get their shots in while I was taking cover. That’s why I’m disappointed. Actually, I’m not even disappointed, to be honest, I’m fucking embarrassed.  _ Look at me _ . Can’t even take out a fucking bandit camp anymore. I’m fucking pathetic.”

“Yeah, I’m gonna stop you there. You took all of them out. While wounded and without backup - which, excuse you, you had backup and I’m angry at you for putting yourself in danger like that. That’s fucking badass. It isn’t your fault it went to shit. But if you’d waited for me we could’ve  _ prevented _ this, Mordecai.”

Axton reached out and placed a gentle hand on Mordecai’s arm. “You’re not alone. You don’t have to do it alone.”

He finished helping Mordecai clear his plate and stood to put the plate on the side table.

“I’ll be back in a little while, okay? I’ve gotta find Zer0, collect the things I had done for you.”

Mordecai shifted himself further down against the pillows. “Alright.”

 

Axton found Zer0 down at Crazy Earl’s, almost menacing Earl into showing him the less legal (or completely  _ il _ legal) wares he kept. He waited for Zer0 to finish his transaction before falling in to walk with him wherever he was headed. 

“Hey Zer0.”

“Good afternoon, Axton. You are well?”

“Yep. Was wondering if I could get Bloodwing’s things off you.”

“Certainly, my friend. Come with me.”

Zer0 led him back to the ground floor of Raider HQ, where he pulled a large, plain white box from his locker and handed it to Axton. 

Axton opened it to see the bunch of clean, neat, trimmed feathers, all bound with a ribbon and wrapped in soft cloth; the polished claws, with settings to hold them in necklaces and other things alongside them; and a small cloth wrapped parcel.

He picked it up carefully and unwrapped it.

“My contact was able to keep the skin intact and treat it to make leather. I requested that he turn it into a small pouch and he did an admirable job” Zer0 explained.

Axton neatly rewrapped the pouch and repacked the box, then set it aside to hug Zer0. Zer0 awkwardly held his arms out and away from himself before gingerly returning the hug. “This is beyond what I expected. Thank you, Zer0.”

“You are welcome, Axton. Return to him, he’s probably bored. I should teach him my haiku.”

“Zer0 man, I like you but if you do that we’re duelling and I’m taking the best loot you’ve got.” Zer0 laughed. 

 

Axton walked to the stairs, his nervous tapping on the box becoming more pronounced the closer he got. He went upstairs, hearing Zed’s voice filtering down, and came into the room to find Zed changing wound dressings around the bruising that seemed to already be turning weird colours at the edges.

He waited in the doorway for Zed to finish his work and pass by on his way out before sitting back at Mordecai’s side with the box in his lap. 

Mordecai looked at the box with apprehension written all over his face and twitching fingers that didn’t seem to know whether they wanted to reach for the box or bat it away. 

He cleared his throat.

“Is- is that Bloodwing?”

Axton nodded solemnly. 

“You don’t have to do this if you don’t feel up to it, Mordecai. I can put it aside until you’re ready to ask me about it.”

“No- I…” he sighed “No. Maybe it’ll help, having a tangible reminder that she’s not here in the same way anymore.”

He reached for the box hesitantly and slowly opened it. He pulled out the bunch of feathers first and unwrapped them.

“I had them tidied up, trimmed, cleaned” Axton explained. 

Mordecai placed them gently by his side on the bed. 

He ran a reverent hand over the claws and their settings.

“I, uh, didn’t want to drill through them, this was the best solution” Axton continued.

With watery eyes Mordecai unwrapped the cloth containing the leather pouch. “Is this-?”

“Yeah. I-  _ we _ wanted to select the feathers but there was no time so we excised a piece of her hide to keep the feathers intact until we got back. Zer0’s contact removed the feathers from it and treated it, turned it into leather. If it’s too much, please say something, we didn’t want to-”

“It’s amazing.”

“-oh.”

“This is what took you all so long to get back that day?”

“Yeah.”

 

Mordecai fell silent and packed up the box, and leaned down gingerly to slide it under the bed.

“Axton, if this is what I think it is, you gotta lay it out for me. If it’s not then pretend I never said anything, but so you know? I’m hoping it is. After that I really hope it is.”

Watchful of Mordecai’s wounds, Axton leaned in and wrapped a hand around his nape and drew him in for a kiss.

“That answer enough for ya?”

Mordecai ran his uninjured hand through Axton’s hair. “Yeah. Yeah it is.”

 

Maya walked up the stairs, fresh jug of water in hand. As she entered the room she noticed that some of Mordecai’s pillows had been swapped out for Axton, who had the sniper cradled in his arms protectively, the both of them dozing. 

She smiled as she switched out the jug and returned downstairs. She was owed some money and she intended to collect. She told them all it would be sooner rather than later, and now the betting pool was hers. Maybe she should get Mordecai and Axton a gift, she did win a nice little sum after all.


End file.
